On July 10, 2020, Turkey’s Council of State annulled the Turkish Cabinet’s 1934 decision to establish Hagia Sophia as a museum. That same day Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an subsequently ordered the reclassification of Hagia Sophia as a mosque rather than a museum. Hagia Sophia is part of the Historic Areas of Istanbul and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, has noted her deep regret of the decision and …

The President of The Canadian Council of Churches, the Rev. Dr. Canon Alyson Barnett- Cowan, has articulated the following foundational biblical principles of the Canadian Council of Churches working through Project Ploughshares. The word ‘peace’ appears far more often in the Bible than ‘justice’, ‘righteousness’, ‘grace’ and ‘mercy’. The Bible witnesses to the creation of the world by God who intends that creation reflect the fundamental harmony we call ‘shalom’. We derive our understanding of …

Le Rapport Manley manque malheureusement l’occasion de guider le Canada vers un rôle vraiment constructif dans l’établissement d’une paix durable en Afghanistan. Le groupe d’experts indépendant sur le rôle futur du Canada en Afghanistan, connu sous le nom de commission Manley, reconnaît que le rôle du Canada dans la lutte contre les insurgés est essentiel à la sécurité mondiale et canadienne. Il recommande que conformément à cette approche, on ajoute tout d’abord aux forces canadiennes …

We Believe God Desires Peace in their Land as in Ours The Manley Report, sadly, has missed the opportunity to guide Canada towards a truly constructive role in securing a long term sustainable peace in Afghanistan. The Independent Panel on Canada’s Future Role in Afghanistan, known as the Manley Panel, accepts the premise that Canada’s role in counter-insurgency combat is key to global and Canadian security. They recommend that this approach be sustained in Kandahar …

Dear Minister Graham, I am pleased to contribute to this foreign policy dialogue on behalf of the Commission on Justice and Peace of the Canadian Council of Churches. Canadian churches have, in many ways, a unique perspective on questions related to foreign policy. Our sister churches around the world inform us of the effects Canadian policies have on their lives. Canadian churches support a variety of initiatives and programs to learn, assist and accompany our …

Dear Member of Parliament, We are writing with regard to the forthcoming Parliamentary debate concerning appropriate Canadian and international responses to the heinous September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. You and your colleagues in the House of Commons bear the formidable responsibility of guiding our country’s actions in these critical days. We write to support you in those responsibilities and to ask you to consider the following concerns. We believe that a sustained …

Dear Mr. Manley, I am writing to follow-up on your meeting with representatives of the Canadian Council of Churches on July 4, 2001 and propose a new meeting in November 2001. In our letter of July 13 thanking you for making time for the meeting and begin a face-to- face acquaintance with the inter-church human rights network, Janet Somerville promised that I would be in touch with you to suggest new dates for a next …

Dear Prime Minister, First of all we join you, as do all our fellow citizens, in expressing profound sorrow and compassion for all those who died and those who now suffer as a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. As representatives of a very broad Christian ecumenical community we join with Muslims, Jews, Hindus and many other faith communities who have condemned these acts of terror, confident in the knowledge …

To the members of our churches after the tragedy in the United States: Grace to you and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ! We write to you as leaders of Canadian Churches to express our deep compassion for all those who have suffered in the terrorist attacks in the United States. We are part of a common family in which the suffering of so many has affected us all. Throughout the world people of all …

Aux membres de nos Églises, à la suite de la tragédie survenue aux États-Unis : Grâce et paix de la part de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ! Nous venons, en tant que dirigeants des Églises du Canada, exprimer notre profonde compassion envers tous ceux et celles qui ont souffert des attaques terroristes dirigées contre les États-Unis. Nous appartenons à une commune famille dont les souffrances de tant de membres nous ont affectés tous. Des personnes de toutes …